


Balancing Each Other Out

by Dragonsmaidan



Series: Ineffable Holiday Prompts [2]
Category: Good Omens (TV), Good Omens - Neil Gaiman & Terry Pratchett
Genre: Gen, Pre- Armageddon't
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-12-17
Updated: 2019-12-17
Packaged: 2021-02-26 05:49:04
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,282
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21838501
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Dragonsmaidan/pseuds/Dragonsmaidan
Summary: Aziraphale and Crowley go to the ice skating rink to keep an eye on the antichrist.
Relationships: Aziraphale & Crowley (Good Omens)
Series: Ineffable Holiday Prompts [2]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1564165
Comments: 3
Kudos: 12
Collections: An Ineffable Holiday 2019





	Balancing Each Other Out

**Author's Note:**

> This fic was inspired by Miel Petite's Ineffable Holiday artwork for Day 2 which can be found here.
> 
> https://mielpetite.tumblr.com/post/189435906467/todays-ineffableholidays-prompt-was-ice-skating

Aziraphale slipped and wildly grabbed onto the wall for the 5th time. “I thought you said this was going to be _fun_.”

“It is fun.” Crowley lazily skated backwards watching Aziraphale’s progress. “I can’t believe in 6,000 years you’ve never gone ice skating before.”

Aziraphale slipped again. “Never had a reason.” He hauled himself unsteadily upright. “And,” he said stiffly. “After this experience I don’t think I will be doing it again.” He glanced over to Crowley still skating backwards. “In fact, I don’t understand why I’m here now.”

“We have to keep an eye on the boy.” Crowley jerked his head in the direction of a group of young children across the ice.

“Yes,” said Aziraphale, picking out the dark haired boy in the center of the group. “I understand that, but why do we _both_ have to be here?”

“Balance each other out.” Crowley said nonchalantly. He blew an errant strand of hair out of his face.

“Surely,” Aziraphale argued, still pulling himself along the wall of the rink. “The boy can’t get into too much trouble on an outing with his friends.”

Crowley arched an eyebrow looking over his dark glasses. “Angel, what have I told you? Children are chaotic, whether for good or evil, and remember I helped raise that one. If you aren’t here it could tip the scales. Besides, what happened to godfathers?”

Aziraphale sighed. “You’re right. I just wish I could stay upright for more than 15 seconds on these infernal things.” He looked down at the skates.

“Here. Let me.” Crowley turned and gracefully skated to stop next to Aziraphale.

Aziraphale closed his eyes waiting to feel the wash of demonic power. When nothing happened after about 30 seconds Aziraphale opened one eye.

Crowley was standing with his hand outstretched, waiting for Aziraphale to take it.

“Oh.” Aziraphale stared at it before looking up at Crowley and firmly grasping it.

“I’ve got you, angel.” Crowley interlaced their fingers “Let go of the wall.”

Aziraphale looked panicked, his hand involuntarily tightening on Crowley’s

“I won’t let you fall.”

Aziraphale nodded, still looking at Crowley’s face and let go of the wall.

Crowley skated forward slowly pulling Aziraphale with him. “Just relax. The skates and the ice will do all the work.”

“I did it!” Aziraphale said, completing his first circuit around the ice without falling or holding the wall.

Crowley smiled. “You did. Do you want to let go?” Crowley knew he had to ask. He was only holding Aziraphale’s hand out of obligation to keep him steady after all. 

“Uh,” Aziraphale’s hand tightened in Crowley’s again. “Better not. Maybe after we’ve gone around a few more times?” He was smiling. “This is _actually_ starting to be fun.”

They had gone around the rink three times without Aziraphale falling when they heard a bunch of scattered pops on the ice a little ways away from them.

Aziraphale startled and stumbled in surprise at the noise. “What was that?” He asked gripping Crowley, who was making sure he stayed upright.

Both looked in the direction of the noise. “Shit,” Crowley cursed softly. He had quite forgotten about the antichrist they were supposed to be keeping an eye on.

“Warlock.” Aziraphale should have known this moment was too good to last. They were here to do a job after all.

“Stay here. I’ll go check it out.” Crowley let go of Aziraphale’s hand.

“Wait! No.” Aziraphale immediately started to lose his balance.

Crowley caught and steadied him. “Sounds as if he is causing enough trouble already,” Aziraphale continued. “I will investigate.”

“Angel,” Crowley said gently. “You’re getting better at skating, yes, but I don’t think you’ll even make it to the edge of the rink to pull yourself over there.” He nodded towards the children as another round of pops went off on the ice and a few people fell over.

Aziraphale glared. “Then help me over there.”

“Crowley!” Aziraphale said again when Crowley didn’t move.

“Right, right. But,” Crowley paused. “I think this is a job for Nanny to handle.” He glanced around surreptitiously then squeezed his eyes shut, Nanny Ashtoreth taking shape. 

Aziraphale stared at her. “What?” Nanny asked self-consciously, her voice still a blend of Crowley’s and her own.

“Nothing,” Another set of pops went off on the ice. Aziraphale gave himself a shake and squared his shoulders. Nanny swished her skirts and slipped her gloved hand into his and started moving them towards Warlock. 

Warlock was skating backwards, exactly as Nanny Ashtoreth had taught him when he was six. He was throwing bang snap fireworks onto the ice by random passersby. 

Nanny was furious. How dare that child ruin her outing with Aziraphale by using a prank that she herself had taught him.

Warlock and his friends laughed as he threw a few more of the noise-makers at a nearby doe-eyed couple making them spring apart.

“Watch this!” Warlock started picking up speed moving in a curve backward, not looking behind him at all.

Aziraphale saw it coming the moment before impact and closed his eyes. There was a crash. Warlock Dowling had knocked directly into both of them.

Aziraphale opened his eyes, he was miraculously still upright. He could feel Nanny’s demonic powers holding him steady even as she and Warlock were a tangle of fabric and limbs on the ice. 

Nanny was going to kill him. She disentangled herself and straightened her glasses picking herself off the ice and drawing herself up to her full height.

Warlock, still a bit stunned from the fall, looked up from his seated position on the ice and froze in horror. “N-nanny….”

“Warlock Dowling!” Nanny’s Scottish accent cut through the air and both Warlock and Aziraphale flinched. “Just what do you think you are doing?!”

“I-” Warlock swallowed and glanced over at his friends, who were all staring at the scene opened mouthed.

“Well?” She put her hands on her hips.

Warlock scrambled up off the ice. “I’m sorry.”

“I don’t want ‘I’m sorry.’ you know I can’t stand those, Warlock. What. Were. You. Doing?”

Warlock looked down and muttered. “Showing off.”

“And what do I say about showing off?”

“Not to do it unless I know I can pull it off without embarrassing myself.” The sentence sounded rehearsed, like he had said it many times before.

“And looks like I was right. Therefore,” Nanny peered at him over her small dark spectacles, showing a glint of her deadly snake eyes underneath. “I think it’s time you and your friends go home.”

Warlock nodded in agreement and skated away quickly.

“And don’t let me catch you doing such nonsense again!” She called after him. 

Nanny turned her gaze to the onlookers that had gathered. “What in Satan’s name are you all looking at?!” Everyone scattered and Nanny and Aziraphale were given a wide berth on the ice.

“Well,” said Aziraphale after a time his eyebrows raised. “Looks like you were right about us needing to be here.” He was still standing without aid on the ice.

“Little punk.” Crowley was still looking in the direction Warlock had gone. He was returning to normal, Nanny Ashtoreth melting away. “Using my tricks without me.”

Aziraphale rolled his eyes, unsurprised. “I should have known.”

Crowley grinned and turned to look at Aziraphale properly. “Where were we?”

Aziraphale rocked on his heels like he was on solid ground. “I believe you were going to help me skate around one more time before I try to go around on my own.” Crowley’s hand slid back into his own and Aziraphale felt the demonic power keeping him upright recede. 

Crowley smirked wickedly. “See I told you. Ice skating is fun.”


End file.
